Simplified health messages developed for Ugandans
Oct 05, 2015
UGANDANS stand to gain if they utilize simplified information on child health and reproductive health issues so as to curb teenage pregnancies and save lives of mothers and children
By Francis Emorut
UGANDANS stand to gain if they utilize simplified information on child health and reproductive health issues so as to curb teenage pregnancies and save lives of mothers and children after simplified communication materials (with simple messages) has been developed.
This will help in combating child and maternal deaths when appropriately applied.
Messages designed in form of brochures and DVDs are handy and can be pocketed so there is no excuse for any Ugandan to be ignorant of child health and reproductive health issues.
Examples of the simplified messages are; why should women and children die from preventable causes? female condoms, emergency contraception, oxytocins, Zinc and resuscitation devices, misoprostol, increase access to lifesaving commodities for women and children among others all developed by World Vision in consultation with the Ministry of Health.
Addressing participants who included lawmakers, health workers and civil society actors Esther Nasikye the Child Health Now coordinator at World Vision Uganda noted that the simplified messages were meant to guide lawmakers to join efforts with other stakeholders to combat child and maternal deaths.
Nasikye explained that this can be achieved through increasing uptake of life saving commodities (LSCs) in the country.
She was speaking during the dissemination meeting on LSCs organised by World Vision Uganda in conjunction with the Ministry of Health in Kampala.
In 2010, the UN Secretary General's global strategy for women's and children's health called on the global community to save 16 million lives of women and children by 2015.
Lifesaving commodities are 13 medicines in a continuum of care which addresses critical areas of reproductive health, newborn health, child health and maternal health.
According to Dr. Olive Sentumbwe the WHO family and reproductive health advisor, it is critical to increase the uptake of LSCs to fight teenage pregnancy as well as child and maternal deaths.
She also called for training of health workers to do proper prescription and blamed mothers for abdicating their role in educating young girls about reproductive health and leaving it to teachers.
Lorna Muhirwe a World Vision Uganda official advocated for increased budget specifically for reproductive health to reduce child and maternal deaths.
Participants agreed with consultants who presented papers on health budget analysis and advocacy to strengthen advocacy efforts in causing government to raise the budget for health to 20% of the national budget.